Apron



June 15, 1937. W. E. MCGUIRE 2,083,790

APRON Filed Aug; 24, 1955 ArraB/YFV Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES EATENT QFFIQE APRON William E. McGuire, Jennings, Mo. Application August 24, 1935, Serial No. 37,637

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to aprons, and more specifically to aprons adapted to be worn by workers in factories, shops, stores, and other business establishments, as well as persons engaged in performing household duties in homes, the predominant object of the invention being to provide an apron which is of such improved construction and arrangement that it is capable of adjustment so as to fit persons of different sizes and is capable of easy and convenient laundering.

As is generally known to persons familiar with such matters, aprons of the type worn by workers in factories, shops, stores, and other business establishments frequently include neck bands of fixed lengths that are secured to the aprons at their opposite ends and through which the heads of the wearers are passed so that said neck bands encircle the back portions of the necks of said wearers of the aprons. Due to the fact that the neck bands must be of sufficient length to permit passage of the heads of wearers of the aprons therethrough, the tops of the front or bib por tions of the aprons are permitted to drop to low positions on the wearers, as the neck bands contact with the backs of the necks of such wearers and afford no means of holding the front or bib portions of the aprons at elevated positions. Also, the neck bands referred to are troublesome when the aprons are laundered, as it is not convenient to press the neck bands on fiat work ironers. Furthermore, the neck bands are annoying because they pull upon and rub against the backs of the necks of wearers of the aprons.

The improved apron disclosed herein is so constructed and arranged that the neck band referred to above is entirely eliminated, thus providing for convenient pressing of the apron on a fiat work ironer. Also, the improved apron is capable of such adjustment on a wearer that the top of the front or bib portion of the apron may be located at various desire-d elevations on the wearer of the apron. Additionally, the improved apron is capable of adjustment circumferentially of the body of the wearer so that it fits closely and comfortably about his body.

, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved apron showing same on a figure illustrated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the improved apron.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view showing the manner of attaching the strings of the apron to the shoulder straps thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating one of the grommets associated with the apron through which the strings extend.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved apron generally, which comprises a skirt portion B and a front or bib portion C. If desired, the apron A may be hemmed at its edges, as shown at D in Fig. 2, the hem D at the top of the front or bib portion of the apron illustrated in said view being deeper than the hems D at the side and bottom edges of the apron. Secured by stitching or otherwise to the top portion of the front or bib portion of the apron A is a pair of shoulder straps l, to the outer ends of which are attached suitable fastening elements 2.

Attached to the shoulder straps I through the instrumentality of the fastening elements 2 is a pair of tie strings 3, which in the use of the improved apron are crossed at the back of a wearer of the apron as shown in Fig. 1, said tie strings 3 being extended through grommets 4 associated with the apron at the opposite sides and at the top of the skirt portion B thereof, and said tie strings being tied together as indicated at 5 at the back of the wearer of the apron.

While the fastening elements 2 may be of any suitable type, I illustrate the well known type of fastener which comprises a fiat section of material in which an opening is formed. This opening includes an enlarged portion 2 and a communicating elongated, narrow portion 2 as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. In attaching the strings 3 to the fastening elements 2, the strings are folded over and the folded portions of the strings are passed through the larger portions of the openings 2 of the fastening elements, the portions of the strings adjacent to the folded portions thereof then being drawn into the narrow opening portions 2 to securely attach said strings to the fastening elements.

The grommets 4 are of the shape illustrated most clearly in Fig. 4; that is to say, each grommet includes an enlarged opening portion i and a tapered opening portion 4 The tie strings are extended through the opening portions l of the grommets 4, while said tie strings are being adjusted to the tying position, and after the tie strings have been tied as indicated at 5 in Fig. I the tie strings are moved into the tapered opening portions 4 of the grommets. Thus the tie strings will be tightlygripped by the tapered portions of the grommets so that slippage of the tie strings is prevented.

When the improved apron is being donned by a person who is to wear it, the shoulder straps l are arranged over the shoulders and the tie strings 3 are crossed at the back of the wearer. The tie strings 3 are then passed through the grommets 4, and the top edge of the front or bib portion of the apron is adjusted to any desired elevation on the wearer. The end portions of the tie strings which have been passed through the grommets 4 are then drawn together and tied as indicated at 5 in Fig. 1, whereby the frontor bib portion of the apron is secured in the position to which it has been adjusted and the portion of the apron at the waist of the wearer is drawn closely and comfortably about the body of the wearer of the apron. After the apron has been adjusted on the wearer and the tie strings have been tied as described, said tie strings are moved into the tapered portions 4' of the openings of the grommets 4, whereby the tie strings are gripped and held against slippage. In laundering the improved apron, the tie strings 3 are detached from the fastening elements 2 and after the apron has been washed it may be completely ironed on a flat work ironer, the shoulder straps being extended outwardly in a. straight line from the top edge of the apron during the ironing operation.

I claim:

1. An apron comprising a skirt portion and a bib portion, shoulder straps extended from said bib portion in straight lines, and tie strings detachably attached to said shoulder straps and adapted to be crossed at the back of a wearer of the apron, said shoulder straps being of flat formation and wider than said tie strings, elements associated with said apron at opposite sides thereof through which said tie strings are extended, the extended portions of said tie strings being adapted to be tied together at a point between the locations of said elements, and locking means forming parts of said elements for looking said strings in positions to which they have been adjusted.

2. An apron comprising a skirt portion and a bib portion, shoulder straps extended from said bib portion in straight lines, and tie strings detachably attached to said shoulder straps and adapted to be crossed at the back of a wearer of the apron, said shoulder straps being of flat formation and wider than said tie strings, and grommets associated with said apron at opposite sides thereof through which said tie strings are extended, the extended portions of said tie strings being adapted to be tied together at a point between the locations of said grommets, said grommets including portions for gripping the tie strings and holding them in positions to which they have been adjusted.

3. An apron comprising a skirt portion and a bib portion, shoulder straps extended from said bib portion in straight lines, and tie strings detachably attached to said shoulder straps and adapted to be crossed at the back of a wearer of the apron, said shoulder straps being of flat formation and wider than said tie strings, and grommets associated with said apron at opposite sides thereof through which said tie strings are extended, the extended portions of said tie strings being adapted to be tied together at a point between the locations of said grommets, said grommets including tapered portions adapted to grip the tie strings and hold them in positions to which they have been adjusted.

4. An apron comprising a skirt portion and a bib portion, tie strings for securing said apron in place on a wearer thereof, elements associated with said apron at opposite sides thereof through which said tie strings are extended, the extended portions of said tie strings being adapted to be tied together at a point between the locations of said elements, and locking means forming parts of said elements for locking said tie strings in positions to which they have been adjusted.

WILLIAM E. MCGUIRE. 

